Squashing Encounters
by Torticolis
Summary: BleachInuyasha. She was limping, her miko powers had 'poofed' away, and she was currently being flattened by a white haired shorty. He should have known not to entrust a Ginkongan with his body. Now, an angry girl keeps accosting him. Kagome x Hitsugaya
1. Prologuish Chapter

**Warning:** I got the idea of my 'final battle' from chapter 517 of Inuyasha, so there _will_ be spoilers.

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**Disclaimer:** Nuh-uh. Inu Yasha and Bleach are not mine. 

**Pairing:** Histugaya/Kagome. Because I have a fetish for short guys with attitude problems. I'd also like to point out that Shirou-chan is _technically_ very much older than Kagome; so it's not pedophilia or anything! Plus, his voice is way too mature to be that of a kid, at least, in my opinion. (And _man_, does he have one sexy voice!)

**Summary: **One day, after limping out of the dreaded depths of that wretched well and having her miko powers just go 'poof' and disappear on her, Kagome gets flattened by a short, white-haired student. Who was incredibly rude to her. Kami! After all the good deeds she had done, this is what she gets? Her Karma must be seriously screwed up. With a Menos Grande nearby, Hitsugaya had, as per custom, let his Ginkongan run free within his body. The next thing he knows, an angry girl keeps accosting him. The living world, he decided, was entirely too troublesome for his liking.

(This was written right after I had read chapter 517, therefore it won't be compatible with chapter 518. And even though Sesshoumaru will get his arm back, alas, there will be no Bakusaiga.)

**Prologue-ish Chapter**

"Argh!" Kagome half stomped, half hobbled forth from the well's abyss. She just _knew_ that she shouldn't have tried it today. As her gut feeling had warned her, the stupid ido(1) hadn't intended to work. Ever since Naraku had finally, _finally _been killed off and the Shikon no Tama(2) had finally, _finally_ been completed, the well's magic had started fluctuating, turning itself on and off with aggravatingly sporadic intermissions.

The injured girl grumped in frustration. Sitting upon the wooden rim, she gently removed her shoe and her loose white socks. Poking her ankle in several haphazard places, she winced as she hit the newly acquired raw spot. Rubbing it tenderly, she sighed. If only she could heal it with her miko(3) powers. Sadly, that was not the case. It seemed that she would only ever get that _one_ chance to use her priestess abilities to the fullest. Afterwards, it had been, once more, sealed up. By that… that vile, wretched, _despicable_ Magatsuhi(4), no less.

Kagome groaned. 'Kuso tama(5)! How am I supposed to protect you if your stupid 'dark portion' keeps segregating my powers?'

There was no reply.

The teenager sulked, fidgeting with the chain on which the Shikon hung from, glistening artlessly. It was so unfair…

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After having met and freed Hitomiko(6) from Naraku's hold, she had pondered the information that the more experienced miko had imparted to her. Sealed. Her powers had been sealed. And, of course, the first logical person she could come up with who would (and was _given the opportunity _to) seal her powers off was Kikyou, her predecessor. Even so, after much deliberation, it still didn't make sense. Why would Kikyou, the unadulterated and authentic Kikyou, seal off the powers of her successor? That would have only impeded the other in the protection of the Shikon no Tama, and Kagome disbelieved that her incarnation would have ever wished for that.

Subsequently, when it had been confirmed that Kikyou wasn't the one to blame, but rather, the Jewel itself, Kagome had been baffled. She had distinguished that the Shikon was a cognizant being who could lure others in with their own shady yens, but she hadn't conceived it possible that it could _act _on its own, without a bearer's help.

And as luck would have it, Naraku had then decided to somehow unleash the Magatsuhi from the Jewel. The damn creepy sinister part of the Shikon no Tama had, of course, proceeded to sap her powers dry!

In spite of this, Naraku had been overly presumptuous and precipitate. His plan had ricocheted, flinging itself into an entire180**˚ **turn.

Magatsuhi had been underestimating Sesshoumaru and unaccustomed to the auto-reassembling body Naraku had granted him. The mending limbs, mingled with Tenseiga's healing powers, had somehow bestowed the demon lord his precious arm back

Kagome thought the paradoxical events an exceedingly well-timed joke of the fates, silently thanking them for the irony they had cast. Who would have thought that, in the end, Naraku would be the one to restore the western taiyoukai's(7) left arm?

Meanwhile, during Magatsuhi's absence, which resulted in the lessening of her darker counterpart's powers within the coveted tama, Naohi(8) had hurriedly pervaded the Shikon, purifying it and blitzing Naraku to an immeasurable extent. Incapable of approaching the Jewel any longer, the hanyou(9) had enjoined Magatsuhi to recede in order to stifle Naohi's virtuous clarity.

The shard-hunting group, along with Sesshoumaru and Kohaku, had taken the opportunity and pursued the malevolent spirit back to the ever-elusive (though not anymore) Naraku. Sesshoumaru, with his new arm; Inuyasha, with the newly acquired Meidou Zangetsu Ha(10); Sango, with the new poison induced Hiraikotsu; Miroku, with an immunity to pain; Kohaku, with a shard that just might be the key to overcoming Naraku's dark youki(11) and, lastly, Kagome, who was dead to the world, power drained, with a worried Shippou fretting over her unconscious body.

As soon as they had neared both the jewel and Naraku, right before Magatsuhi had reentered the collision against Naohi, the purified jewel had flared a dazzling white. A forceful tug to her soul woke the slumbering teenager from her drained sleep as something inside of her rent. A deluge of excruciating, agonizing, unbearably incisive pain unleashed itself upon her body. Her muscles clenched as her soul devoured her flesh. She had felt it expand and grow, swell and strengthen; feeding off of the purity Naohi was hastily and forcefully shoved into her. Faraway, the distant yelp of a scorched Shippou and the painful roar of Inuyasha grazed her mind. She distinctly remembered the sting of her hair whipping her face as she fell from the inu(12) hanyou's hold, only to be caught by Kohaku.

And then, the sacred power that had been so generously poured onto her had brusquely ceased. The Shikon glinted angrily as Magatsuhi reentered its sparkling depths, slowly overcoming Naohi with the help of Naraku's omnipresent miasma and wicked intentions. As soon as the Jewel's vitiation had recouped, Naraku had snatched the round entity up and tried to flee. Still weakened by the attack the Jewel had expelled upon him during Magatsuhi's leave, he sent a reluctant Byakuya their way.

The bored detachment dispassionately sent out mirages after mirages. Though his illusions did serve their purpose of stalling them, it had also resulted in infuriating and invigorating the combatants with ire-boosted, impatiently pumping adrenaline.

Still supported by Kohaku, Kagome's unsealed and throbbing powers had subliminally reestablished Kikyou's purification of the dead boy's kakera(13). Looking skywards, she frowned as she noticed Inuyasha's slightly quivering black hands and Shippou's burnt face, framed with a few strands of singed carroty bangs. Silently, she conjectured how they had gotten those terrible burns as Kohaku kicked off, transporting her to a formation of rocks a little higher up and closer to the fraying battle. The young slayer deftly set her down and stood to her side, scrutinizing and waiting. Still a little disoriented, Kagome didn't question him and followed his lead.

She watched as Byakuya sent handfuls of fluttering paper figures that transformed into youkai(14). Watched as the separation weaved landscapes of deception around her friends' minds. Watched as Naraku's cloud of miasma drew further away. Watched as Miroku, having had enough, suddenly pulled off his prayer beads, reaping all the paper figurines into his Kazaana(15), along with the pernicious Saimyoushou. Sango trapped his arm and frantically pulled the binding rosary back on, agitatedly chiding the monk while Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha both sliced at Byakuya.

With the area clear of stymieing hallucinations, Kohaku wordlessly lifted Kagome and chased after the escaping Naraku. She felt gauche, being carried by someone younger _and _shorter than herself, but Kagome thought that she was embarrassedly blushing through it quite well.

After having caught a balloon-looking Shippou who had fallen from a roused Inuyasha's jerky shoulder, Kirara and her passengers soon followed the pair. Leaving the two brothers to deal with Mugen(16) no Byakuya. Which Inuyasha had later complained about ("What the hell? How come I was just left there to deal with the fucking small-fry?! Did you guys really think you could've taken on that Naraku bastard alone?!"), whereas Sesshoumaru had given them all his customary derisive look of distaste ("Hn.").

As they gained on him, the machiavellian hanyou had distractedly dispatched another one of his children, siphoning off of the re-tainted. However, through still his weakened state, the severance only emerged as a feeble, disfigured demon who scarcely managed to decelerated them a fraction of a second; as that was all the time it had taken for Miroku to hurl his immobilizing ofuda(17) and for Kirara to tear the pitiable creature apart with her jagged claws.

Whilst their nakama(18) were eradicated the frail youkai, Sango had tossed her Hiraikotsu and Kagome, awkwardly positioned and mindful of the jarring movements Kohaku's lengthy leaps made, had sent a burningly vivid arrow towards Naraku. The Hamaya(19), soused with the young miko's aching outsized powers and Naohi's supplementary energy that had remained within the girl, struggled somewhat before smoothly cutting through the hastily thrown barrier of the spider-marked mastermind. Kagome breathed out a giant heave, relieved; it had hit! Hiraikotsu, shadowing the miko's attack, swiftly worked its sake generated poison through the enemy's body the moment it touched skin. Twirling passed the miasma mass twice, the large boomerang left only bits and pieces of flesh behind; no more than the head had somehow escaped its biting reach.

Kagome squinted, trying to ignore the unaccustomed itch her bursting ki was creating all over her body. "The jewel is in the floating member between his hand and his… I think it's his shoulder!" She announced, already preparing another arrow, only to be stayed by Kohaku's hand on her arm. With a determined look and a nod her way, he dashed off, his black eyes fixed upon the portion of flesh she had referred to.

Naraku's eyes narrowed on the deceased taijiya(20). As Kohaku neared his goal, miasma enshrouded them, blocking everyone else out. Sango shouted her brother's name anxiously, directing Kirara to fly toward the mounting black murk.

A cackle was heard. The nekomata(21) halted hesitantly at the sound.

Progressively, the air cleared, allowing Sango to view her brother's partially disengaged head. She froze. Kirara mewed consolingly at her mistress's rigid frame. Watching on helplessly, Miroku tightened his protective hold around the slender demon slayer while Shippou closed his eyes and whimpered against the monk's shoulder.

Kohaku lifted dull, lifeless orbs up to meet his sister's horror-struck ones. The severed, blade-shaped arm dug in deeper, planning to hack the entire head off. "Gomen(22), onee-san." His voice was hoarse, broken. The whisper drifted softly to Sango's ears, relayed by an empathetic passing breeze.

"Why! Thank you," cooed Naraku in a foully syrupy timbre, "for having so willingly sent me the last shard." The bladed arm slipped a little further, taunting the panic-stricken sister, as more crimson blood gushed forth, staining Kohaku's slayer ensemble and creating sharp splatter patterns on his pale face.

Kagome trembled. Fear and disgust, horror and desperation; they shot through her, goading her already riotous Reiryoku to erupt into torrents of lashing lights. She cried out. It hurt. She wasn't used to containing so much… So_ much_!

Another tug to her soul distracted her. She rammed the pain away and searched... for what?

At that moment, she had glimpsed it; the shard in Kohaku's neck was still glowing a defiant white. It beckoned to her. And so, she followed, taking a few hazy steps before stumbling down the rock face, not having paid attention to her footing.

'_I'm leaving the rest to you.'_

Kikyou. She had made Kikyou a promise. She was… She was going to do it. She was going to complete the Shikon no Tama and stop Naraku from gaining more power. She _was_ going to do it. Had to.

As her resolution was finally set, she opened eyes she hadn't realized she had closed and… noticed that she was, once again, plummeting through the empty space between her and the furry ground. 'Furry?'

Landing on something soft yet firm, she was immediately swathed into a cocoon of welcoming security. "Oi! Dog-breath!" Someone shouted in her ear, the voice ringing from one ear to the next, adding to her soreness and making her wince. "I thought I told you to protect my woman!"

None of the usual retort came; the recipient was still diligently engaged with Byakuya while wrestling his older brother over who got to smite the illusionist.

"Hey," Kouga said, this time in a much softer tone, conscientiously maneuvering his Goraishi away from her flimsy human skin, "are you alright, Kagome?"

She stiffly lifted her head, her muscles still screaming and body still prickling. Glancing up, her gaze sank into concerned clear blues. "Mm-mmm." She forced out in a raspy hiss. "Kouga-kun, could you take me to Kohaku-kun please?"

The ookami no ouji(23) frowned, his worry doubled as he took in _where_ exactly said 'Kohaku-kun' was. Nevertheless, he nodded and complied to her request. Though he had lost his shards, he still had his naturally fast youkai speed to fall back on, and Kagome was grateful for that; she didn't think Kohaku was going to last very much longer. There was only two centimeters or so left before the integral cleaving of his skull from his shoulders. They landed several feet away, followed by the sabretooth. A tearstained Sango was still staring at Kohaku with glazed eyes, unresponsive to Miroku's affectionate murmurings or Shippou's reassuring pats.

Kagome rushed forward, her muscles straining against the pain and her seemingly newly added weight. She struggled as the large quantity of Reiryoku(24) oppressed her every move, drawing her to the floor like a heavy load. Kouga ran beside her, hovering as he kept his sharp eyes on their surroundings.

Nearing the laughing Naraku and the profusely bleeding Kohaku, she felt another compelling tug. Kagome staggered, lurching forward. The only pure shard left glowed, one last time, giving her soul a good jerk, and her powers came pouring out yet again. However, this time, they seemed to have found a focus; instead of flowing erratically and burning her from the inside out, they streamed toward Naraku's baleful mist.

As the flood touched them, Kohaku's neck cleanly sewed itself back together while Naraku's pieces reemerged into one.

"What the hell are you doing? Kagome! You do realize you're healing that bastard too, don't you?"

She blinked. Kouga was right, but there was nothing she could do, she couldn't control any of it.

'_I'm leaving the rest to you.'_

She didn't know what to do. This was wrong. This was _all _wrong. She didn't understand. Why was she healing Naraku? Kagome sobbed. 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Kikyou. I can't; I don't know how.'

'_I'm leaving the rest to you.'_

'No! I can't. I _can't_! I don't know how!'

'_I'm leaving the rest to you.'_

It rang over and over and over in her head. But she didn't –_couldn't_.

A delighted chuckle startled her into awareness. Naraku was grinning triumphantly at them. "Ara ara…(25)" He flexed his recently healed arm, "It seems like the little reincarnation _can_ be useful sometimes."

Kagome glared at him, but started when she noticed that her energy was still flowing out.

'_I'm leaving the rest to you.'_

And then, she saw. The shard had given her another feeble twinkle, almost as if it was winking at her. Oddly enough, it was all the reassurance she had needed, as her breathing softened.

Naraku's reassembled arm lifted, still equipped with a very pointy blade. It ruthlessly slashed through Kohaku's recovered neck. The half-breed chortled. But his fun swiftly vanished as the head re-glue itself back to the boy's body. The hanyou frowned, and tried again with the same results.

Although he didn't seem to feel any pain, Kohaku looked bemused. He gawped at her, wide-eyed and uncomprehendingly, as Naraku hacked away at him relentlessly. The slayer blinked, having lost count of the number of times he had just recently died.

Sango, though having come out of her anguish filled stupor, still looked shocked. As did everyone else who followed the motions of the dark hanyou's hand with disbelieving eyes.

Just then, a heavily bleeding Inuyasha dropped before them, deep cuts littering his entire body. Sesshoumaru arrived next; he seemed uninjured, save for a small cut to the cheek, he looked as blankly composed as ever, but a few drops of sweat lingered on his face and his breaths seemed a little faster than usual. If the situation hadn't been so dire, Kagome would have giggled at her friend's thoroughly stumped look and the ever-stoic Sesshoumaru's imperceptibly –by a slight millimeter or two– parted lips (which, for him, she presumed, would have been the alternate of a jaw drop).

But her amusement faded when she felt Kohaku's shard dim. The taint was spreading and Naraku was laughing again, still chopping Kohaku's neck. Again, panic assaulted her senses from all sides.

'_I'm leaving the rest to you.'_

Kagome froze. 'What to do? What to do? What to _do_?'

Sango was first to react as she launched her trusty Hiraikotsu. Surprisingly, it seemed that, with the help of Kagome's impromptu curing spree, Naraku's barrier was once again in superlative shape, and maybe even stronger. Soon, everyone was raining their favored attacks on Naraku, but the barrier remained unyielding.

A tentacle reached out to the solitary shard, not touching, but waiting for the taint to cover more ground. Then, cautiously, it reached out and tentatively brushed against the kakera.

Nothing happened.

Everyone's efforts doubled.

Kohaku earnestly struggled against the callous grip of several tentacles, trying to stop the extraction of the shard, but they coiled themselves sternly around his trashing body.

The individual, repulsive feeler twisted itself around the shard, harshly wrenching it out and carelessly flicking the residual corpse away. Sango hastened to her brother, curling him to her, while Naraku's eyes gleamed. He carefully placed the shard within the small space allotted to it, no longer paying attention to the tickling sensation their abortive attacks produced. The Shikon no Tama was whole again. What's more, it was in _his_ possession.

He bellowed with laugher.

Kagome shook her head. 'No! This is not happening! Not real!' She rubbed her eyes, blinked repetitively, but the scene just wouldn't go away and her mulish brain refused to wake up from the nightmare.

'Kikyou! Kikyou, tasukete kudasai!(26)' She thought desperately. 'What am I supposed to do now? Tell me! _Tell me_! I'm not like you! I'm not calm and collected and always ready and all knowing and-! What should I do?! What _can_ I do?'

'_I'm leaving the rest to you.'_

Kagome groaned. 'That's not helping me one bit!' Resigned, she closed her eyes and tried to think of a way to rectify the situation. Her eyebrow twitched. Kami! If only that itch would leave her!

Though the ache her unsealed powers had created was steadily dissipating, the tingling had still remained, giving her the urge to frantically scratch herself everywhere, as if she were covered from head to toe with itching powder. If only her soul could also weigh a little less, her back was bending under all that-

There! She felt it again! Though much, much feebler then all the other times, it was still there. That tug! She frowned, peering at the completed Jewel, and gasped. A tiny, tiny, indiscernibly _tiny_ sliver of the tama was still pure, camouflaged by all the blackness around it. And it was calling to her.

'What?' She asked, silently hoping for an answer. 'Tell me! What do you want me to do?'

'_I'm leaving the rest to you.'_

'I don't understand!' Kagome gripped her bunched up skirt tightly. She had to calm down. She _had_ to. This wasn't good and she knew it. And Kikyou was gone.

'Kikyou had said that she'd leave the rest to me.' She bit her bottom lip, tasting the metallic tang of her own blood. 'Does that mean I have to find a way out of this on my own?'

She looked down at the sacred bow lying beside her. There must have been a reason why her predecessor had left it with her, right?

She resolutely wrapped her fingers around it, standing up. A thrum slithered through her. She shivered. It wasn't the excruciating sensation of her own uncontrolled power or the discordant quality of the Shikon. It was the cool, calculated hum of calm, miko magic: Kikyou's magic.

'Kikyou's feelings are planted within this bow as well?' Shocked but pleased, she inspected the wooden arc before walking toward the barrier, led by the dead priestess's bow. The hallowed weapon glowed, shattering the obstacle.

Immediately grinning at the broken defenses of the enemy, Inuyasha brashly swung his sword out with vigor. Following suit, everyone's previously useless onslaught showered once more upon the acrimonious spider. This time, without his shielding barrier. Regrettably, it seemed that Kagome's previous healing was still in effect, given that Naraku's body repaired instantly, even when the upgraded Hiraikotsu hit him.

"Oi! Wench! What the hell did you do?! He ain't getting no weaker 'cause of you!" Groused Inuyasha, discomfited.

"I don't know! Stop making it sound like it's _my_ fault!" Riposted Kagome.

"Keh! I don't need to make it sound like it's your fault, 'cause it _is_ your damn fault!" Shouted Inuyasha distractedly while giving Tetsusaiga another swing.

"_Watashi_ no sei desu ka?!(27) Inuyashaaa_-_!" A shiver from the bow interrupted their row. She looked down as it shot forward violently. Unsuspecting of the sudden yanking haul, Kagome's fingers loosened, allowing the sacred bow to slip from her grasp.

The wood connected with the Shikon no Tama as if magnetized. Kagome could feel the small speck of undiluted purity being beckoned to the surface of the Jewel. It glowed, responding to the bow's appeal. Gradually, the speck overcame the corruption inside the Jewel. Naraku, frenzied, had immediately dispatched a few other detachments to occupy his attackers while trying to push his tarnished ki into the Jewel.

His efforts were useless, as something seemed to have nullified his youki. Soon, the Shikon no Tama had become a blazing beacon of purity. Naraku screeched, instantly dropping it. But in the end, his jumpy response hadn't been expeditious enough. The cleansing energy had reached out and trounced him. Minutes later, naught but his ashes were left, shrouding the air.

They waited, but the heavy blanket of dust wouldn't abate. Finally, a frustrated Inuyasha assured himself that everyone was far enough away and swept out his new attack, Meidou Zangetsu Ha. The dirty, powdered air became agitated, almost as if it were still alive and resisting the Meidou's pull.

Before the debris could attempt to take flight, a strong, almost disdainfully so, gust of wind quickly swept the cinders away, into the dark spherical entrance of hell. Absently, Kagome had wondered if it had been the doing of Kagura's spirit; now free of her repressive master, coming to erase away all evidence of his vile existence and collecting her due. Okay, so it was hackneyed and corny, but if it had been Kagura, since she was, for some odd reason, practically _sure_ that it was… Kagome smiled, 'That would make a nice ending.'

Hastily making her way through the cleared air and to the tranquilly shimmering Jewel, Kagome gingerly picking it up, along with the now drained bow.

With the battle over, none had wanted to stay longer than necessary. Feeling a fragile bond form between them because of the experience they now shared, everyone wordlessly meandered away in the same direction.

Sango quietly wrapped her brother's taut body in her arms, silent tears falling as Kirara growled soothing while carrying the two siblings. Miroku limped behind them, occasionally casting concerned glances their way. Shippou, having felt a little left out since he hadn't offered much of a contribution to Naraku's demise, had jumped into his usual spot, enfolded in Kagome's arms, seeking reassurance.

Kagome hugged the little fox snugly. She sighed. After having defeated Naraku and restored the Shikon no Tama, she would have expected the mood to be lighter, happier, more festive. But all she could feel in the leaden atmosphere was a morose relief coupled with the odious taste of great losses.

Rin, Jaken and the two-headed dragon, along with Ginta and Hakkaku, had joined them somewhere along the way. Having caught on to the hushed ambiance, they nervously observed the victors, marching behind them in a subdued manner.

The group calmly made camp near a small stream, a long ways from the recent battlefield.

Kagome looked around, then huffed. She couldn't take anymore of the muted stillness. Kneeling on the soft, lush grass, she set out to assess Shippou's burnt marks, and cried out in surprise. "Shippou-chan, where did you get these? They look serious!"

"Eeto… Kagome…You did that. Right before Kohaku caught you." He lifted a hand, idly touching his seared face, then stopped, wincing. "That's why you fell; because Inuyasha got burnt too, so he had _stupidly_ let go." He gave the red clad figure a pointed look.

Inuyasha grunted angrily, before pausing, then he snorted dismissively, not rising to the bait.

The teen's nose wrinkled as she thought back to the recent events. "I… did?"

The kitsune(28) nodded solemnly, then hurried to reassure her when he saw her guilty expression. "Shinpai shinaide(29)! They're just a few scratches for us super strong youkai, it'll probably heal in no time!"

Kagome furrowed her brows uncertainly, "If you say so…"

Suddenly, her countenance brighten, "Hey! Maybe I could heal it up for you! Like I did for-" She stopped, risking a glance Sango's way.

"It's fine, Kagome-chan. Don't worry." Sango reassured her, brushing aside Kohaku's bangs with a reticent smile. The blue-eyed girl still appeared dubious, so the exterminator expounded. "Really, I knew it was going to happen and I was expecting it."

'But that doesn't seem to have lessened the damage it's doing to you.' Kagome had wanted to say. She searched the taijiya's eyes, then clamped her mouth shut. Sango didn't need this right now. Maybe later, but not now.

Letting go of the subject, she turned her attention back on Shippou. "So? Want to give it a try?"

"Eh… sure." He didn't sound very convinced, but she brushed it off. The itch was still there, and she needed something to focus her powers on. Maybe, she supposed, relieving herself of some of that boiling energy would relieve some of the irritation.

She grappled with it. Her control had always been lax, but now, with an even larger amount of force to deal with, she had no clue on how to go about it. And it was hard to do anything without the aid of that exasperating but useful tug. Just as she had finished the thought, the pull came back, guiding her powers onto the unsuspecting kit.

Shippou exhaled deeply, she wasn't accidentally burning him. Good. But then, all deliberations and qualms flew away, replaced by the sensation of warm water being poured all over his body, although the end result didn't make him feel wet. Warmth seeped through his skin as a feather-like texture lightly brushed against his injuries. The next thing he knew, he was all healed up.

"Wow!" He exclaimed. "Kagome! How did you do that!"

Slowly the edginess eased, conversations (and loud brawls) took place, ridding them of the tiring calm. Smiling giddily, the time traveler made her way around the small site, gladly offering her services and happily using her newfound ability. With the exception of Sesshoumaru, no other wounded had been left unattended. Though she had not dared approach the proud Lord of the Western Lands, he had given her a frigidly impassive look when she had timidly peeked his way, a clear message for her to keep her human self away.

The next day, they had parted ways. Though (a still itchy) Kagome had been slightly worried about the issue of to whom went the Shikon, fearing that Kouga would claim it for himself and clash claws with Inuyasha again, she had been pleasantly surprised when the subject hadn't even been touched. It seemed that they were fine with her keeping it. And she didn't have any objections to the arrangement.

A grave was dug for Kohaku as they passed by Sango's old village. He lay beside his father, and Sango had mourned his death with light sniffles and some wild flowers. Kagome had fretted over her friend (as well as the increasing prickle all over her skin), giving the older girl tacit looks, telling her that she was there if the need for a talk arose. But she should have known not to be so concerned. It appeared that Sango had sought and found her comfort elsewhere. The futuristic schoolgirl had discreetly hidden a grin and a raised eyebrow when the houshi(30) and the taijiya had come back from a late night out in the forest together.

Gaily, the inu-tachi(31) treaded their way back to Kaede's village with Kagome giggling elatedly every time Sango would blushingly forgo the monk's title in order to call him by his first name (and scratching herself every other few seconds).

Sitting inside the little hut, they had each recounted their version of the tale to the elderly priestess, and were now speculating over the events. It was then theorized by Miroku that Kikyou had probably very specifically planned Kagome's role in the fight.

"Having given Kagome-sama a very holy bow infused with Kikyou-sama's own ki that would then connect with the energy she had inserted within Kohaku's shard was no small coincidence." Miroku had said, while nodding his head sagely. "Though she probably hadn't expected Naohi to unseal Kagome-sama's powers. And if Kagome-sama hadn't healed both Naraku and Kohaku with her uncapped Reiryoku, our winning chances would have most likely dropped. But we still would have had some likelihood of being successful."

"What do you mean 'if Kagome hadn't healed Naraku'?" Asked an annoyed Inuyasha, still not fond of the idea.

"What Miroku here means," cut in Kaede, "is that Kagome's patching up of Naraku, was also one of the catalysts to the hanyou's ruin. Do ye not see?"

At Inuyasha's reluctant silence she grunted, blowing on her steaming tea exasperatedly before continuing her explanations. "Because it healed 'im, he had accepted the energy within 'imself readily. But Kagome's powers are pure. Even if they were not meant to harm, their latent purity would still remain within ye for a while before, eventually, evaporating. The purity he had unknowingly accepted within 'im had served to blind his senses and cancel out his youki. That is why he could not feel the hidden goodness inside the jewel. That is why he was permitted to touch the pure shard. And that is why, when the battle inside the tama had begun, Naraku could do nothing to aid the taint, for the large sum of Kagome's purity, that still resided within his own body, had quelled out his youki."

"I also believe, " Added Miroku, "that, while her healing had re-pieced him, it had also prevented Naraku from attacking or absorbing us with his cut-off, independent body parts, as he had done in our former battles."

Inuyasha's ear twitched (Kagome smiled at the endearingly small indication that his mind was still sorting through the newest facts, before scratching her chin) as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Feh, whatever."

Shippou tapped his chubby indexes to each side of his forehead in a thinking pose. "But then, why was I able to show Rin-chan my Kitsune-bi(32) right after Kagome had healed me?"

Kaede calmly sipped her tea, "Because it was only used in a small dose on ye."

His auburn tail swished before he nodded, accepting the explication. "Ah. Wakatta(33)!"

"It was," the aged archer's lone eye moved back to Inuyasha, "also well thought out of ye to have banished 'im with the Meidou Zangetsu Ha, Inuyasha."

"Tch. I just didn't feel like waiting for all that dust to settle. It was blocking my view." Replied the silver-haired male casually.

Kaede's single eye narrowed, "Is that so?" She shook her head, disheartened. "And I had thought ye had planned it."

"Of course he didn't! Inuyasha never thinks! He's just a big bunch of muscles and instincts with no brain!" Piped Shippou enthusiastically, only to receive a thorough pummeling from an angry Inuyasha, who, consequently, underwent a thorough sitting from a protective (and itchy) Kagome.

"I see." Nodded the wise old lady. "Of course, I should not have thought differently."

"Oi! Why you-! Baa-baa(34)!" Inuyasha straightened from the floor and shook a threatening fist at her, which resulted in a few more 'Osuwari!' shouts.

"You were saying? Kaede-sama?" Asked the purple clothed monk, ignoring the long series of decadently rich curses spouting out of his crude comrade's muffled mouth.

The wrinkled woman serenely sipped her tea. "Yes," She cleared her throat. "With a regenerative demon like Naraku, there was always the peril of 'im coming back, especially when we put into consideration the might of his dark desires. Tsumari(35), his tarnished soul could have stayed in this world and leisurely waited until his strength had recovered before exacting retribution. That is, unless ye banish 'im for good. Which is what ye have unknowingly done, Inuyasha."

"Keh."

**( -♥ - ****ﻛ ****_q _Ц Д ****ک ****И ΐ N Ģ - ****ع ****N **© **O _ų_η Ґ εЯ ****ﯼ -**** ♥- )**

And so the Shikon no Tama's hunting saga had ended. It has already been a three weeks since then.

Inuyasha had, by now, perfected the hobby of lazing about the village, sometimes exterminating a few hostile demons when he felt like it.

Shippou was free to play with children his age. Though they were all human, he didn't seem to mind, especially since it made his tricks that much more awing. He also seemed to have an affinity for herbs, often accompanying Kaede on her forest trips to replenish her storage of herbal remedies.

As for Miroku and Sango, they had gotten married, just like everyone had anticipated. The high schooler had attended their wedding just last week and had found out from a furiously red slayer that she was already with child. Kagome smiled at the memory, 'As expected from the pervert!'

The time traveling miko still traveled to and fro, juggling her two lives in two diverse eras. Sadly enough, after she had first guardedly passed through the well with the completed Shikon no Tama secured around her neck, two things had occurred.

Firstly, her powers had once again been quarantined, though, this time, fully. She had no miko abilities whatsoever left. She didn't mind that part too much, because they were no longer needed (and the maddening itch had, _thankfully_, gone away along with them), except for when she obtained some rather annoying cuts and scrapes or sprained ankles –like _now_.

Secondly, the well's previously strong aura had waned considerably. She had known that it would have to close itself off eventually, but she was grateful that it was still holding on a little longer. As if it knew her feelings. Smiling appreciatively, she smoothened her hand over the ancient wood, softly thanking it. Wistfully, she gazed at the old, claw-like dent marks on the abused frame, entwining herself with the intangible threads of her treasured memories.

Her peaceful humor was brusquely crushed, when a large 'baki' sounded nearby. Hurrying out, she scoured the vicinity. House? Nothing. Street? Nothing. Nearby store? Nothing. Neighbors? Nothing. Sky? White.

'White?' She blinked; her eyes closed…

And when her lids slid open, she found herself lying on the freshly cut grass with her breath knocked out of her lungs. A downy white engulfed her vision and something warm shifted on top of her. 'Nani(36)?!'

* * *

Translations (this was added due to the request from SemiPrecious... Oof! And I really didn't think it'd take this long for me to do. Gah!):

(1)Ido: Well.

(2)Shikon no tama: Jewel of Four Souls

(3)Miko: Priestess.

(4)Magatsuhi: The evil spirit of the Jewel of Four Souls who was given a body by Naraku. First appearance in chapter 513 of the manga.

(5)Kuso tama: Kuso literally translates into 'shit' and tama is a 'spherical object' (in my case, the Jewel of Four Souls). So the end result gives you: "Shitty jewel!" or something along those lines...

(6)Hitomiko: A priestess that was introduced in chapter 507.

(7)Taiyoukai: Greater demon, though people usual use it for 'demon lord'. And I think that, technically, it should actually be 'daiyoukai'... But since nearly everyone's using 'taiyoukai', I decided to just go along with the flow.

(8)Naohi: The good spirit of the Jewel of Four Souls. I searched online and actually found that, in the Omoto Religion, a human is composed of one spirit and four souls, the spirit was called Naohi, and it represented the (and I quote) simplest, purest, innermost aspect of the human spirit, embodying supreme good and ultimate beauty.

(9)Hanyou: Half-demon.

(10)Meidou Zangetsu Ha: It translates into 'path of darkness of the cutting moon' (or something similar). It is a technique that sends the opponent directly to hell by cutting open a path that leads said place.

(11)Youki: The ki (internal force in our bodies, the manifestation of our spirit) of a demon. Or, more simply put, a demon's power.

(12)Inu: Dog.

(13)Kakera: Fragment; shard.

(14)Youkai: Demon (most commonly used translation); apparition; spectre; phantom and etc.

(15)Kazaana: Air hole. In this case, Miroku's wind tunnel/Air rip.

(16)Mugen: Illusion.

(17)Ofuda: In the Shinto religion, it is a talisman (made of a a piece of wood, paper, cloth or metal) on which we write a god's name. It is believed to have powers of protection. In Miroku's case, it's a small strip of paper, infused with his holy powers, that can purify/desintegrate demons.

(18)Nakama: Companions; comrades; friends.

(19)Hamaya: Arrow used to fend off evil; sacred/purifying arrow.

(20)Taijiya: Demon hunter/exterminator.

(21)Nekomata: A two tailed magical cat. Quote: 'Mythological creature believed to evolve from domesticated cats. It was believed that after a cat reached ten years of age, its tail would slowly split into two tails, and along the way would develop magic powers.'

(22)Gomen: Sorry.

(23)Ouji: Prince.

(24)Reiyoku: Spirit power/energy.

(25)Ara ara...: My, my...

(26)Tasukete kudasai: Please help me.

(27)Watashi no seda desu ka: My fault, is it?

(28)Kitsune: The literal meaning is 'fox'. However, in a lot of Japanese folklore, they are also depicted as intelligent beings who possess magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom.

(29)Shinpai shinaide: Don't worry.

(30Houshi: Buddhist monk.

(31)Inu-tachi: The dog's group.

(32)Kitsune-bi: Fox-fire.

(33)Wakatta: 'I understand' or 'understood'.

(34)Baa-baa: A derogatory way of saying 'grandma'.

(35)Tsumari: In other words.

(36)Nani: What.

* * *

I hope I made Naraku's death believable enough and that I didn't give Kagome too big of a role, or made her too powerful. I sincerely hate it when Kagome becomes a Mary Sue, so I tried to not make her too much of one, but at the same time, I had to be realistic. If Kagome could already pass through Kikyou's barriers, be immune to Naraku's miasma, shoot purifying arrows, _shatter_ the Shikon no Tama, and reclaim her soul from her forebear while still having her powers corked up, then she had to have had a considerable amount of power if it was let loose. Either way, I tried to make it realistic… not too sure if I pulled it off. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Kagome lifted her hands and gently patted and prodded the white blob lying atop her chest, trying to determine what it was.

"Uhm…" It moaned.

M- Moaned? She stopped her movements, her heart thrashing brutally against her ribcage in a loud 'doki doki' beat. For a second, she wondered if the _live_ white blob could feel the deafening drumming as well. She grunted and lifted her head from the ground, trying to get a glimpse of the blob's body. She was met with more white.

In fact, she had buried herself in white. White… feathers? …brushed her cheeks, poked at her watering eyes and stuck to her moist lips. Ok. Then… what? She had a duck/swan sitting on her?

An acceptable deduction, Kagome decided, since weirder things have happened to her. She tried to hoist her torso into a sitting position, and groaned. What was this? An extremely _over_weight duck?

Her arms shook as they held for a small while, then, with an exhale, she let go, laying back down on the grass covered floor. That duck was _heavy_!

She wriggled her body. And felt it slip off a little.

She wriggled again. Good. It had slid to her stomach.

"Hah!" Sitting up victoriously, the blob all but fell to her lap. Looking down, she reddened to an impossible degree. It seemed as if the skin on her face had suddenly become lucent, causing the vibrant scarlet of the blood rushing to her head to be particularly conspicuous. There, cradled between her thighs, was the head of a young preteen with an indolent expression upon his face. She took in a deep breath, and let out a bloodcurdling shriek. "Kyaaaaaaa!"

Pushing him off, she scooted a little farther away, studying him closely, guardedly. He grunted softly as his head hit the floor, but stayed in the awkward position.

She stared. He didn't move an inch.

She approached him cautiously. He still didn't move.

She squatted before him, carefully making sure that her short skirt was kept in place. Not a twitch of a reaction.

Her finger slowly moved forward, poking him, before quickly withdrawing back to her side. His eyes sluggishly moved to look at her. She was startled by their vibrant jade hues, but kept her ground. His vacantly doleful eyes remained fixed on her, as unmoving as the rest of his body. She wavered, unsure of what to do next.

Finally, her hand reached out again, giving his shoulder a little shake. "Anou… Are you alright?"

He stared, then, languidly, sat up, bending his knees and placing his hands docilely on top of them. He didn't respond, his amazing eyes settled motionlessly upon her.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" She waved a hand in front of his face and snapped her fingers a few times, "Moshi moshi?"

"Yes?" He finally asked, politely, serenely, in a gentle voice, as if he had not, just a few seconds ago, had his head buried between her legs. Kagome flushed again, then, vehemently, clamped down on the rising heat.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? And for that matter, who are you? How old are you?" She demanded, "Shouldn't you be in school right now?"

"I think I am sitting." He replied slowly, as if mulling over the question. "And shouldn't you be in school too?"

"H-huh?" For a second, Kagome was at a loss for words, but her indignation quickly took care of that. "Hey! I'm older than you and I asked first! So stop fooling around and answer my questions!"

The boy nodded kindly, "Of course."

He put a finger to his chin and tapped. "I am Hitsugaya Toushirou." His voice was soft and compliant, his brows were raised in a forlorn manner, and his eyes drooped slightly. "I sincerely think that I am sitting on the ground. I… was not informed of my age and I should not be in school right now."

"What kind of answers are those?" Kagome asked, frustrated. "When I said 'What the hell do you think you're doing?' I meant 'What actions did you commit in order to cause you to drop out of the sky like that?' And what do you mean, 'you were not informed of your age', and that 'you shouldn't be in school right now'? Are you making fun of me?"

He blinked as leisurely as he did everything else. "They are truthful answers. I was sent flying into the sky by an explosion nearby. Hitsugaya-sama hasn't told me his age yet and he is not enrolled in any school."

Kagome frowned, incredulous. He falls from the sky and into her lap, a circumstance to which he stays unflappable, he answered all her figurative questions literally (though she was unsure if the little brat was just humoring her) and weirdly, and now he speaks of himself (Or maybe it was his imaginary friend? She knew not anymore.) in the third person, with an honorific of high respect. Was he crazy? Not to mention that he had feather-like white hair. And stunning eyes. Was he a gaijin? But his Japanese was flawless, without a trace of an accent…

"Okay… Um… Are you sure you're alright?" She queried, frowning a little in worry. "You must have bumped your head on something or-"

He swiftly stood up, cutting her off. His droopy eyes appeared just a little more determined than whilere, "I must depart."

And he bounded away, onto the rooftop of her family's shrine and over the countless steps of the entrance. Kagome was left gaping. For one sleepy looking kid, he sure could move fast! He could jump as far and as high as Inuyasha! What was going on?!

**( -♥ - ****ﻛ ****_q _Ц Д ****ک ****И ΐ N Ģ - ****ع ****N **© **O _ų _η Ґ ε Я ****ﯼ -**** ♥- )**

Hitsugaya had thought that Monday to be a rather dull day, and consequently, had decided to try out one of these 'swings' he had seen many sit upon in those 'parks' to idle away the time as well as to offer himself a break from training against the Arrancar.

He cautiously climbed onto the rectangular shaped seat and seated himself. He had studied others use this curious device long enough to know that one had to fold and stretch out one's legs alternatively while tilting their body weight back and forth in order to sway it properly. And thus, he had slowly set out to do so.

Extending his legs out, he tipped to the back, before retracting the 'jean' clad appendages and inclining to the front. The rhythm calmed him. He closed his eyes as he rocked higher and higher, ignoring the feel of his pants' rough texture rubbing against his legs as he moved.

Unfortunately, a familiar feeling was quick to arrive and abruptly shake him out of the soothing content he had been headily cloaked in. His formal composure back, the death god instinctively gulped down his soul substitution pill and rushed forth in his spiritual form. However, it seemed that the Menos had found him before he had found it. Stomping its foot, it sent a powerful blast toward him, agitating the air with swirling debris. The young captain dodged easily until he realized that his usually lethargic ginkongan –who enjoyed staying inertly in one spot– had moved too slowly and been blown away with the explosion. He mentally cursed, and then shrugged; as vitally lacking in wits as the lazy ginkongan was, it still knew how to keep his body alive. Especially with his superior physique, his gigai should be fine.

The Menos Grande was dealt with effortlessly and, later on, he grunted at Ikkaku's whining when the third seat of the 11th division learned that he had arrived too late and had missed the opportunity for a quick fight.

Having sensed the elimination of the danger, the ginkongan had shortly come running back to him, yawning with its permanently regretful looking features, it popped out of his fleshly constitution mouth. Hitsugaya felt the boundaries of the corporeal structure close upon him, restricting his movements as he reentered its confines. He replaced the already snoring pill back into the small 'plastic' dispenser that Urahara had given him.

Admiring the huge crevasse the Menos had carelessly made with its foot, he refilled the hole. That done, he reseated himself on the now familiar swing, diving back into his previous musings.

**( -♥ - ****ﻛ ****_q _Ц Д ****ک ****И ΐ N Ģ - ****ع ****N **© **O _ų _η Ґ ε Я ****ﯼ -**** ♥- )**

Kagome was… Kagome was shocked, evidently. But that and the whirling questions within her head had quickly been overridden by annoyance. The annoyance quickly grew into frustration. And the frustration warmed, heated, and boiled into churning… anger, or was it resentment?

Did he really think that he could just leave after… after falling on her and getting the very very _very_ private view of a rather personal spot that she had been saving till her wedding day, or, at the very least for her… boyfriend? Could she even call Inuyasha by that label?

'Ugh…' Kagome shook her head. 'And now, he's even made me doubt the relationship I have with my… with Inuyasha.'

_And _he hadn't even properly answered her simple questions, bungling them up before leaving in haste. What was with him? He had had such a… a laid-back, scratch that; more like a _retarded_ attitude. What was with that hair? And those droopy eyes? And that weird look of constantly lifted brows? Finally, after much forethought, Kagome had decided on the only explanation she could come up with; he was a visiting foreigner kid (which explained the appearance and the 'no school' situation) who had probably been high on some drug or other (which would explain most of his words and actions). She nodded, that was probably it… And he was doubtlessly a big pervert (which would explain how he had dropped on top of her. Yes, probably threw himself onto her from one of the higher branches of the Goshinboku after having lured her outside with that little explosive stunt of his).

Kagome stood up, straightening her uniform. Right. A really perverted preteen gaijin who got his kicks out of scaring girls and jumping on them before fleeing to kami knows where with a few gigantic leaps.

Hah! Well the next they meet again –and they _will_ meet again, she just knew it– she was going to give him a piece of her mind, along with a hearty greeting from her fist. Along with several loud, hard slaps for good measure.

She smirked wickedly. Oh, he will pay dearly! She hadn't dealt with Miroku for all these years just to get one upped in that department by a kid a few years younger than herself. No siree!

But for now… she had already missed a class, and the teacher is not going to be happy if she's late, sickness or no sickness. Cursing the well, the Jewel, her daydreams and that lecherous kid, she ran in the direction of her school as fast as her legs (plus one sprained ankle) could take her.

**( -♥ - ****ﻛ ****_q _Ц Д ****ک ****И ΐ N Ģ - ****ع ****N **© **O _ų _η Ґ ε Я ****ﯼ -**** ♥- )**

After her daily hours of education had, at last, ended, Kagome had gone out with her friends at the usual Wacdonald's and gossiped. They had talked about her non-existent relationship with Inuyasha, talked about Hojo, and talked about boys in general. Sitting through the mundane and repetitive conversation, she stirred her shake pensively.

"And try not to miss your classes tomorrow, Kagome!" Chided Eri with an admonishing index finger, tapping the inattentive girl's forehead, briefly bringing her back to the present.

"Yeah," added Yuka, concerned, "we all know that you have a very weak immunity system and that you get sick often, but even then, there are limits. You have to get your act together or the school might give up and expel you."

"Un." Kagome nodded distractedly as her mind floated to reveries of activating the well's portal again.

Her three friends gave each other meaningful looks, shaking their heads in dismay. Ever since Kagome had slowly begun recovering from all those sicknesses, she had also slowly begun slipping from them with her head buried within a thick layer of clouds that continuously screened her usually bare emotions from view. At times, they would have to shout her name a fair number of times, awaiting the moment when the sound would finally penetrate the dense fog hovering around her.

"Well then," Ayumi finally exclaimed, throwing her watch a brief look, "I got to go! Bye everyone!" She waved at them with a cheery smile and stood, soon followed by the others.

"See you guys tomorrow." Kagome called out absentmindedly, her eyes already drifting away from the friends and to the blue skies above.

They sighed in unison, glanced at the illness prone girl one last time, and headed their respective ways dutifully, mulling over their friend's recent change of demeanor.

They had thought it to be another relationship related dilemma concerning Inuyasha, but when they had talked about him at the fast food restaurant, a few weeks ago, there had been no other remarkable reaction coming from her other than the customary pink tinting her cheeks, so it couldn't have been about him.

They had mentioned her family, with the same results.

Her cat; she had given them an unsettling glare, but they had guessed that it had, most likely, more to do with their oddly phrased question rather than the cat's health. ("So… how's your cat? Dead yet?" Had asked the ever cat-hating Eri rather tactlessly, which had then impelled Yuka and Ayumi to quickly kick her silent under the cover of the table.)

They had brought up the ever-present topic of Hojo; the customary bored look.

They had broached every single event, thing and person their unsteady, hormone-filled, teenaged minds could think up, but no such luck.

At the end of the day, they had only, and unintentionally, achieved in making Kagome feel under-cultivated as she had been bombarded by exotic subject after exotic subject. The young girl had muffled a whimper as a terrible thought had launched itself at her, unknown to her concerned friends. Could it be, that all the subjects her friends had vigorously discussed, with bountiful armloads of knowledge, were things they had learnt in class while she had been visiting the past? Oh, no.

Consternation had set in. If that was true, then she had even more catching up to do than she had originally dreaded. That day, and the days following that –of which this particular day was of no exception, she had walked home with her back hunched mournfully.

Dragging her feet as she passed through the front door, she greeted her much too cheerful family, entered her room, and sat down in front of the detestable desk she used for the vile purpose of studying, all thoughts of that morning's perverted boy out of her mind.

**( -♥ - ****ﻛ ****_q _Ц Д ****ک ****И ΐ N Ģ - ****ع ****N **© **O _ų _η Ґ ε Я ****ﯼ -**** ♥- )**

Two days after the breathtaking first meeting between his rear end and the device humans called 'swing', the sun rose to shine brightly in the sky, unhindered by any clouds. Indeed, the weather was excellent and the mood was that of a wonderfully cheerful day. Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his, now that he was used to the fabric, rather comfortable denims, Hitsugaya Toushirou coolly strolled down the disorderly streets that were littered with busily honking vehicles.

Life on the living plane was so much more fast-paced than he had anticipated. Everyone around him always seemed to be in such a great rush, checking their watches every few minutes and moving in that fast paced gait, halfway between a run and a walk. In the midst of the hustle and the bustle, Toushirou felt as if he ought to join their precipitated pace and frenzied lifestyle as well. In spite of that, he withheld himself from doing so. Being one of the captains of the elite Gotei 13, and although many thought otherwise, he was anything but a conformist child who imitated all that surrounded him. So the urge to try out the rushed and the hastened tempo was swiftly quelled and erased.

Gazing upwards, he sighed exasperatedly. Things were quiet today, in the realm of the spiritual, and he couldn't find himself anything to do in this time of the evening. Though he itched to sway upon the local park's swing once more, doing so would have been a bad idea. This was the busiest hour of the day when children and youngsters were let out of class and adults were let out of work. Sitting upon the inviting black rubber of the park swing in the presence of all those people would only reinforce the absurd and irritating notion of him being a child. A slight, extra crease marred his previously bored looking frown before he sighed once more, his brows smoothening instantly.

There really wasn't much for him to do. The training and preparations for the coming war had ended one or two hours ago with his sparing partner (also known as his bubbly fukutaichou) running off to perform her 'daily patrol'. Which, in Matsumoto code, was the obvious substitute for 'shopping extravaganza'. The ice wielding death god's eyebrow had twitched, but he had grudgingly let her take her leave, knowing full well that nothing he said could have instilled even slightest bit of gravity into the busty russet.

Maybe, he realized, he was too tolerant. Maybe that was why no one had yet regarded his echelon and actual age seriously. Though he had never felt an actual need or an incline to bother cultivating obedience from his subordinates, a few of the more revered captains did; sternly and strictly. Or, his shoulders stooped a little, maybe it really was solely his youthful looks that dispelled any and every drop of awe that could have been.

A white blur raced passed his feet, cutting through his legs' randomly picked trajectory while he had been deep in his ruminations. Teal orbs, dappled with a hint of verdant, followed the movement keenly. Without a second thought –or even a first, for that matter, he lounged forward, plucking the tiny pup up with effortless ease, before bounding away and landing safely on the other side of the road. The hurriedly speeding car that would have impacted with the small animal, had it not been for the white-haired young boy's rapid actions, screeched shrilly as its tires abruptly stopped rolling, causing the rubber to grate harshly against the rough asphalt.

An alarming amount of shrieks were then heard echoing throughout the length of the previously orderly street as shocked drivers hastily hit their brakes. Complaints, loud cursing and blaring horns were soon added to the fray while curious bystanders crowded in to observe the show.

The troublesome puppy yipped happily, uncaring of the strife it had just caused. Its small pink tongue lolled out of its jaw as it panted, its furry tail wagging itself energetically. The skin attached to the boy's eyebrows crinkled a bit more.

He gave the bundle within his arms an annoyed look. It yipped anew.

Crouching down, he placed the canine back on the floor and laid a soothing hand between its droopy ears, atop its fine tuft of white hair. Its small face rubbed affectionately against his hand before its pink tongue came up to gently lap at his index finger, tail thumping against the sidewalk to a nonexistent beat.

"Wow!" Exclaimed a girl standing nearby. Hitsugaya had seen her run toward him as soon as he had set foot back onto the solid ground. He grunted noncommittally in reply.

"You know," she continued, her marveled expression morphing into a pensive one, "You're not as bad as I first thought you to be…" Hitsugaya's already deepened frown deepened even more. He had never met or talked to the girl, what on earth could she be chattering about?

"Although…" She paused, squinted at him suspiciously, and then stepped back. She appeared indecisive, her gaze wavering between him and the dog sitting docilely by his feet, before it finally settled back on him. Her features hardened themselves with a stony stare. And a fluidly executed punch landed viciously on his left cheek.

The shinigami winced discreetly, his head still bent to the side from the blow, before turning back towards the violent stranger. That girl sure could pack a punch; he could already feel his cheek turning a bright red and smarting horrendously.

He blinked a few times, eyes still blurry from the unexpected, and undeserved, attack. Had he been a lesser being, Hitsugaya would have been sent flying and unconscious through the day's clear blue sky. Dazedly, he stared at the girl's balled fist, inspecting the lean sinews of her tense arm carefully.

She was no ordinary human. That was a certainty. Though she looked to be a physically healthy person, she didn't have the muscle nor the body weight to create such a frightening wallop. In fact, if she had hit a normal human –even one of those toughly built 'sumo wrestlers' he had witnessed fighting on 'TV'– they would have either been rendered dead or fallen into a coma. Thankful that he had requested a particularly robust gigai from the shady shopkeeper, Hitsugaya's genius mind quickly set to work, trying to work out the odd kinks of this situation.

Mustering up his best glare, he growled out "You-" in a low and angry voice.

But was heatedly cut off by the seemingly belligerent teenager. "That, you very well deserved."

Arms akimbo, the girl glared him down from her slightly higher vantage point. However, the frustrated and confounded first seat of the eleventh squad was not to be intimidated. He regarded her with deliberate slothfulness, wordlessly alerting her to the fact that he was not, in the least, disconcerted by the recent events or her squinting eyes that, he presumed, were intended to form a glower. His eventual vocal response was even and measured, "And why would I have deserved this unwarranted assault of yours?" Through the tight reigns of his strict control, nothing other than the telling twitch of his eyebrow slipped passed to indicate his current irritation.

Kagome gaped. _Why_ did he deserve this 'assault'? _WHY_ he deserved this?

In a quick jerky movement, she retracted her arm, and was about to give him another satisfyingly loud punch, when she was agilely halted by the expectant whitehead. The girl's jaw tightened before she brusquely snatched her captive fist away from his warm palm.

"Humph." She folded her arms to her chest and turned away, looking like a perfectly indignant child. A silent dome promptly engulfed them. The girl's hair and skirt swayed with the passing of a small draft, her face still averted from his probing gaze.

The sound of a soft snort effectively popped the still bubble, causing the oppressiveness in the air to instantly evaporate. The puppy happily plodded its way to the fuming female. It waited, patiently sitting, for her acknowledgment.

Although, when nothing seemed to be forthcoming, it whimpered in the most sad and pitiful whine Hitsugaya had ever heard. The girl, having at last noticed that the whelp's undivided demanding attention was on her, bent down. She smiled warmly at the diminutive canine and scratched the spot behind its ears with fondness. The pup, being caressed and cooed at, immediately thumped its furry tail on the floor, woofing contentedly.

Kagome giggled. The little puppy was adorable, and, though she loathed admitting it, went along quite well with the nasty whitehead. Yes, they just seemed to fit marvelously together.

She looked around absentmindedly and noted that the boy was still dissecting her with his inflexible look. Discomfort crawled to the back of her mind, under his watch, and she mutedly dropped her eyes to the cute little thing _(that reminded her so, _so_ much of Inuyasha, despite the droopy ears)_, avoiding his unmoving stare. "Is he yours?" She asked lightly, attempting to dispel the unease she was feeling, and having already forgotten all about the previous face-smacking episode.

There was a wary silence before he responded. "No. I was merely passing by when he had thoughtlessly decided to run across the street without care."

Kagome loured. It was only a baby; of course it wouldn't understand the danger of the streets. Nevertheless, she kept silent, not wanting to aggravate the markedly aggravated boy anymore than necessary.

The gathered crowd had, by now, thinned to but a few inquiring latecomers who wished to know what all the fuss had been about. The tiny ball of white fur yipped, pawing at Kagome's short green skirt. She complied, gently picking it up and hugging it closely to her breast.

_(As she had so often done with Shippou, not too long ago.)_

"Do you… want him?" She asked the white-haired boy uncertainly. A nod was given in the peacefully resting babe's direction, indicating whom she was speaking of, despite the fact that the motion was a redundant one. There were no shiny collar dangling from its neck, therefore she had assumed it to be a stray.

_(Just like Inuyasha had been, until…)_

"No," Hitsugaya answered curtly, "you can keep him."

With that said, he turned to depart, not caring to stay longer than necessary in the presence of the obviously bipolar and _aggressive_ –his still stinging cheek relentlessly reminded him of that fact– girl. Having to baby-sit a bunch of idiotic unruly fools was enough to keep him occupied, he needn't add more to his already brimmed plate. Furthermore, his being in the living world was simply a temporary arrangement; he wouldn't have been able to tend for the critter for long anyway.

"Hey, wait!"

She caught the edge of his formfitting black shirt, a censorious frown plastered upon her face. He waited long-sufferingly for her to finish what she had to say so that he could at long last escape (and, maybe, find a nice remote area where he could nurture his previously tanned, now probably fiery red, cheek).

"I can't keep him; I already have a neko, Buyo, and he absolutely abhors dogs!" Kagome protested. She inwardly sighed. That had been another reminder of himself Inuyasha had uncaring left behind. With him 'playing', as he would call it, with poor Buyo every time he hung around, the cat had slowly, surely begun hating every and all canines it met, especially pale furred ones.

Hitsugaya shrugged. Why should he be concerned if she couldn't keep the dumb thing? It was none of his business.

He took another step away, but was forcefully yanked back by the unnaturally strong girl.

**( -♥ - ****ﻛ ****_q _Ц Д ****ک ****И ΐ N Ģ - ****ع ****N **© **O _ų _η Ґ ε Я ****ﯼ -**** ♥- )**

That day, Inoue Orihime came home to the sounds of enthusiastic gushing and barking. Unlocking the door, she creaked it open millimeter by millimeter. Peaking in, she was greeted by the sight of the youngest captain in Seireitei, sitting kneeled on the wooden floor, sporting a red, punch-shaped mark on the left cheek and the most endearing puppy upon the white nest of his abundant hair.

The genius boy's finely whittled pale brow was twitching something fierce as Rangiku Matsumoto, back from her shopping spree, was bent, hugging the short shinigami's head into the crevice of her ample bosom. The ginger-haired woman was rubbing her face adoringly against the canine's delicate back, while softly speaking to it in a babying voice.

Hitsugaya's hands balled into fists.

"_You can't just leave him here and not care!"_ She had said. _"If you don't like him, then you shouldn't have saved him!"_ She had said. _"He's YOUR responsibility now!"_ She had said. _"TAKE. HIM." _She had screamed.

And somehow, in some way or another, it appears as if he had relented (though he held no memory of ever doing so), for he was now stuck with the blasted beast.

**( -♥ - ****ﻛ ****_q _Ц Д ****ک ****И ΐ N Ģ - ****ع ****N **© **O _ų _η Ґ ε Я ****ﯼ -**** ♥- )**

That night, as she snuggled into her cozy pink bed (that she _really_ ought to change, she thought, cringing at the colors she had once, long ago, earnestly selected), Kagome found herself reflecting on the strange white-haired boy's actions, from whom, she realized, she still hadn't squeezed out a _real _name.

The first time she had encountered him, she had thought him a raving junkie with outrageously perverted penchants (not unlike dear old Miroku). Yet, on this second meeting of theirs, his behavior, attitude, and even his kinesics, seemed to have made a drastic 180 degree turn –though she still couldn't determine if it was for the better or for the worse. Nevertheless, one thing was univocal: the alteration of his character had been undeniable.

During the two brief periods in which they had socialized quite rudely with each other, Kagome had noted that, although he had still kept some of the languidness in his movements, it had been done deliberately, and with much more panache than last time. His eyes had also been keener and sharper, not at all unfocused from want of sleep. His trim pastel eyebrows had retained an unhealthy wrinkle of displeasure before, during, and after their short-lived 'talk'; diverging from the lifted brows that had given him a dopey, lost look on their prior confluence.

After much ado and analyses concerning the white-haired boy, she sighed and gave up on finding an explanation other than schizophrenia (which she had high doubts about) or drugs (which, on second thought, she wasn't too sure of either). The highschooler shook her head, purging it of the distracting thoughts.

As she fell asleep, Kagome dreamt of white puppy ears –triangular ones as well as droopy ones.

She dreamt of short white hair along with long silvery locks.

She dreamt of constantly angry frowns.

She dreamt of warm orbs of the color of liquefied gold.

And, finally, she dreamt of astounding irises of turquoise, persistently veiled by half-mast eyelids that were daintily framed with long dark lashes.

**( -♥ - ****ﻛ ****_q _Ц Д ****ک ****И ΐ N Ģ - ****ع ****N **© **O _ų _η Ґ ε Я ****ﯼ -**** ♥- )**

Hitsugaya, settled on the roof of the Orihime residence, admired the stars as a small, fair puppy laid docilely on his lap (courtesy of the strange girl he had had the misfortune to meet). The taichou closed his tired eyes, pondering upon the girl's supernatural might and soothingly fussy mannerism. He heard her nagging voice thrumming through the expanse of his skull as he was lulled to sleep with a warm wet tongue lapping his wrist.

**( -♥ - ****ﻛ ****_q _Ц Д ****ک ****И ΐ N Ģ - ****ع ****N **© **O _ų _η Ґ ε Я ****ﯼ -**** ♥- )**

The next morning, when Kagome got up, freshly awoken, she realized, not without some tidbit of vexation, that, yesterday, for the first time in an awfully lengthy stretch of time, she had forgotten to attempt jumping down the well. "Mou… And it's all because of that albino shorty!"

_(With marvelously stunning eyes.)_

* * *

**Author's note: **If there are any mistakes, I'm sorry. As you can probably tell, this chapter was rushed and the end result was revised rather quickly (since I felt so bad about not having updated for so freaking long)... If you find any errors: TELL ME!  
And umm... just so you guys know, unless you've already noticed, this chapter is set before Inoue's kidnapping… eh… yeah. 

Review! I love reviews! (Even though I'm too lazy to reply to them.) The more I get, the faster I'll try to update... though I'll update even if you don't review... but... Review! Okay?


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